New ground update?

[hlane17]

Except Brighton has 100k more people, a university with the population of 20k students on the stadiums door step.

Hence why in the same post I said I see us getting about 20k max, not 30k.

Edit: Southend also has a University of Essex campus in the main city centre.

 

[sufc4life21]

I must admit I'm not overly keen on flats integrated into the main stand and I hope that doesn't happen, we do need the option to expand. the flats leading upto the South stand im not to bothered about.

I hear the word potential being used all the time when it comes to football clubs, whether that's size of location, fanbase or history. I just think it all comes down to having an owner who prepared to spend...... very rarely a team spends peanuts and works there way up the football pyramid system, not now days anyway. we need rich owner who has the ambition to create history for Southend. I don't know about any you guys but I would love to see Southend in the Premier league.

 

[defender05]

A lot of people moaning about the new look and the flats everywhere, remember RM wanted it as part of an industrial estate with a cinema, restaurants etc but the council said no because of the Seaway project the had planned.

If we don't have the flats we don't have a new ground there so unless a new owner has millions to spare and buys some land elsewhere, and gets planning permission to build a stadium we are stuck with it.

 

[Smiffy]

Our potential average attendances with a new stadium & owner in:

National League: 6-8k
League 2: 7-9k (League Average 5.5k)
League 1: 8-10k (League Average 8k)
Championship: 12-15k (League Average 18k)
Prem: 25k+ (League Average 40k)

Reasonable or a tad conservative?

 

[danbowen]

For every Brighton there is a Darlington when it comes to a big new stadium....

Nothing says that if we get a new stadium we rocket up the leagues and there is nothing also to say the new owners couldnt build a new stadium further down the line if needed.

Some of the comments on here are ridiculous like fans wanting to put an objection in because it looks ****e. Likelihood is if we dont start this project then we will eventually die off as a club. I quite like the fact the 4th side isnt being built in its current plan as this will give the new owners a potential say in what they want. Maybe someone is buying the club and wants the build to start asap and this is why the 4th stand has been removed for now. No one knows.

 

[danbowen]

Our potential average attendances with a new stadium & owner in:

National League: 6-8k
League 2: 7-9k (League Average 5.5k)
League 1: 8-10k (League Average 8k)
Championship: 12-15k (League Average 18k)
Prem: 25k+ (League Average 40k)

Reasonable or a tad conservative?

Id agree but id say NL and League two would be very similar as none of the league two teams will bring a huge following as they are all northern and Col U dont have any fans either. I reckon the Championship we could sell out most games,

 

[the_forgotten_man]

It puts a cap on our potential. Yes, it is most likely to be sufficient but it limits our potential (including making us less attractive to any new owner).

Rotherham population 60,000
Doncaster population 110,000
Southend population 180,000

Add in Rochford, Benfleet, Canvey etc and it’s twice that and bigger than the population of Swansea/Port Talbot/Neath or Reading and Bracknell.

I’m not suggesting that we need a 24,000 seater stadium now but we need the potential to increase. It’s shortsighted not to build with that in mind.

There are two clubs in the prem right now with stadiums of similar or smaller than our plans in Brentford and Bournemouth, so I'd suggest it puts a cap on our potential of just outside the European places. I think we'll be fine.

You missed Reading - population 180,000, and getting 12k in a 24k stadium in the Championship.

But more generally, I agree it would be nice to have the possibility of expanding at some future date if need be. As far as I can tell, nothing in the current plans aside from the flats on the main stand prevents us from doing so when the need arises. Bearing in mind additional up front capacity would cost more to build, cost more to maintain and would leave us rattling around in a more empty stadium, I think 16,2k is a perfectly good, ambitious capacity.

 

[BoyWonder2]

Our potential average attendances with a new stadium & owner in:

National League: 6-8k
League 2: 7-9k (League Average 5.5k)
League 1: 8-10k (League Average 8k)
Championship: 12-15k (League Average 18k)
Prem: 25k+ (League Average 40k)

Reasonable or a tad conservative?

IF those predictions for average attendances are spot on, FF will be perfectly fine for our return to the Championship.

Only once we get to the Premier League, and then start our European tours do we need worry.

16k is about right.

 

[Jai]

In the Echo today. Does anyone else have a view on the East/West design of the stadium? Sun in the eyes and all that. Let's hope we win the toss and choose well. https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/23...eykIZBawJ2E3k2h243mH4NviZPAN6_j0LuSEHDmb2jXjk

As I understand it, and this is actually explained in the D&A statement, the combination of the location of an underground sewer, and the proximity to the scheduled ancient monument, meant there was no choice but to have an East-West design unfortunately.

 

[ace]

It's not the reduced capacity I have issue with, but the design of the 4th Stand. It's just pants. To think I used to look down on Borients ground esthetics.

 

[Chairman Trigg]

Will any investors want this version of Ron's world.Seems like Ron wants to hold all the cards while somebody else finances the build because he's skint.After all this time find the latest version depressing and have lost any enthusiasm remaining as the ambition which was there in 2008 has totally gone to be replaced by a overcrowded poorly designed cramped housing estate to fulfill the council's quota's

 

[Tommy2holes]

Not approved, just validated

How long does it usually take from validation to passing?

 

[Colchester and proud!]

I went to AFC Wimbledon’s new ground recently. That is the perfect little ground. Great for the numbers they get now but the way they’ve built it you can make the 3 other stands larger if needs be. It’s about future proofing, giving us the ability to increase the capacity. After we get bought out by a billionaire and get to the prem within 10 years. 16000 won’t cut it.

Our stadium was built with stronger foundations under 3 sides to enable the capacity to be increased from 10100 to 18000 if required by putting extra tiers on those areas and filling in the corners. It is not very likely we will need that any time in the near future but if we do, it can be relatively easily achieved without having to move.

 

[hlane17]

How long does it usually take from validation to passing?

How long is a piece of string?

This being validated suggests to me that the application contains all the info/docs required, but needs a signed-off authorisation for approval.

When I worked in local authority, something could be waiting for approval for weeks or months.

I believe this one is delegated authority, so can be signed off by a council officer with the statutory powers to do so. These are usually the executives/head of departments

 

[Ricky Otto]

Ron really has ****ed us, who would want to buy or invest in this? Only someone with love for this club would touch us

 

[TrevorFitzpatrickHattrick]

Our stadium was built with stronger foundations under 3 sides to enable the capacity to be increased from 10100 to 18000 if required by putting extra tiers on those areas and filling in the corners. It is not very likely we will need that any time in the near future but if we do, it can be relatively easily achieved without having to move.

You could shift the capacity down to 1,800 and you'd be ok most of the time...

 

[GPW65]

How long is a piece of string?

This being validated suggests to me that the application contains all the info/docs required, but needs a signed-off authorisation to achieve approval.

When I worked in local authority, something could be waiting for approval for weeks or months.

I believe this one is delegated authority, so can be signed off by a council officer with the statutory powers to do so. These are usually the executives/head of departments

I think the determination date is listed as June (10th?), but every likelihood that will not be met.

 

[Colchester and proud!]

You could shift the capacity down to 1,800 and you'd be ok most of the time...

Sadly I can’t argue with that!

 

[Tommy2holes]

Anyone have a view of the new main stand from inside the stadium.

The flats look very high above the main stand which now appears to be a similar level the other 3 sides.

 

[kentblues]

Ron really has ****ed us, who would want to buy or invest in this? Only someone with love for this club would touch us

As has been said plenty of time for the new buyer to build what you want on that side (assuming they want to as well). So they can invest as little or much as they like.